Most accidents in road traffic concern collisions between a pedestrian or cyclist and a motor vehicle. Whereas protective systems for vehicle occupants, such as in particular belt tensioners and airbags, nowadays constitute close to a series standard for all classes of vehicle and offer an optimum protection for the vehicle occupants, the pedestrians in such a collision are less protected. Thereby, the pedestrian who is on the roadway is mostly caught by a vehicle by its front region and his head hits on the engine hood or on the lower edge of the windshield.
In order to reduce the risk of injury to pedestrians in collision with a vehicle, body front parts of the vehicle can be configured so as to be flexible. The publication DE 10 2006 029 921 A1 discloses a vehicle with a pane cross member, on which the windshield rests and which is constructed with at least one component which is dish-shaped in profile. The dish-shaped component is extended on the edge side with a supporting leg on which the windshield rests. The pane cross member is constructed here with a first half shell and a second half shell and is substantially closed in cross-section. With an application of force from above and/or from the front, caused for example by the impact of a pedestrian, the supporting leg of the pane cross member can deform contrary to the direction of travel and can therefore receive impact energy. EP 1 810 892 A1 discloses a vehicle with a pane cross member which comprises a curved bracket on which a windshield rests and which can deform and therefore receive impact energy on the application of force from above and/or from the front.
At least one object is to provide a body structure for a motor vehicle which is simply constructed, which can reliably absorb energy on the application of force, can be reduced. In addition, other objects, desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequent summary and detailed description, and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background.